DTDinner Table

Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)

Personal recipe · Prep 30 minutes (plus 2 hrs 30 min-2 hrs 45 min rising/resting) · Cook 18-20 minutes

Per serving: 820 cal · 12 g protein · 114 g carbs · 35 g fat

servings

  • Dough

    4 cups all-purpose flour (≈480 g) - sifted
  • ½ cup sugar (≈100 g)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ tsp salt (≈2 g)
  • 6 tbsp butter (≈85 g)
  • 1 tbsp instant yeast (≈9 g)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract (≈13 g)
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup warm milk (≈180 mL) - about 110°F / 43°C
  • Butter for shaping - as needed

  • Vanilla Topping

    1½ cups all-purpose flour (≈180 g)
  • 1½ cups sugar (≈300 g)
  • 1 cup butter or shortening (≈227 g)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract (≈13 g)

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon stick, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. Add the yeast and vanilla, then stir in the beaten eggs.
  3. Pour in the warm milk while mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Fish out the cinnamon stick.
  4. Knead about 10 minutes, by hand or stand mixer, until smooth and stretchy.
  5. Ball the dough up in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise about 2 hours, until doubled.
  6. Meanwhile, make the topping: mix the flour, sugar, and butter until it looks like coarse sand, add the vanilla, and knead into a smooth paste. Refrigerate.
  7. Divide the dough into 8 balls (about 100 g each) on two parchment-lined pans. Cover loosely and rest 30-45 minutes, until puffed.
  8. Divide the chilled topping into 8 portions, flatten each into a disc between sheets of plastic wrap, and press one onto each dough ball.
  9. Score a shell pattern into the topping with a sharp knife. Topping only, not the dough.
  10. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18-20 minutes with a small bowl of water on the bottom rack, until the tops are set and the bottoms lightly golden.
  11. Cool on the pan 10 minutes.

Notes